Kalaburagi hosts first March Tree Festival to celebrate spring

Kalaburagi witnessed its first-ever March Tree Festival, which was held in a public garden on March 30. The event was organised by Winged Endeavours, a local organisation known for nature-focused initiatives.

The festival is part of a 10-day citizen science programme aimed at documenting and celebrating the seasonal changes (Phenology) of Indian trees. Speaking at the event, organiser K.S Aishwarya said that the initiative encourages people to observe and record tree behaviour, such as new leaf growth and flowering, highlighting the impact of climate change on biodiversity.

Emphasising the festival’s goal of raising awareness about the effects of human activity on trees, Ms. Aishwarya opined that flowering and leafing of trees are being affected by climate change. Planting more trees and conserving existing ones can combat the climate crisis and leave a healthier environment for future generations, she added.

She underscored the critical role trees play in maintaining ecosystems. “Trees support countless organisms and form the backbone of our environment. By conserving trees, we are preserving entire ecosystems,” she added.

The flowering process of trees such as Morembu tree, Bougainvillaea, Women’s Tongue tree, Copper Pod tree, Pongamia, Neem, Singapore Cherry, Oleander, Mexican Oleander, Champa tree, Custard Apple tree, and Palash tree was explained by a team led by Ms. Aishwarya, along with biology faculty members Shreedevi Bhandarimath, Laxmi Poojari, Dr. Rajshekhar Chinmalli, Dr. Anita M. Harwal, and Riyaz Ahmad Chabanur.